Circumstances
by Wicked R
Summary: post AWE. James Norrington finally finds out what happened to Elizabeth. No, why would he be dead? Nonsense.


Title: Circumstances

Author: WickedRum

Disclaimer: I have no right to use these characters, Disney has.

Summary/Set: post AWE. James Norrington finally finds out what happened to Elizabeth. No, why would he be dead? Nonsense.

Genre: Romance/Drama/shortfic/glimpse

Rating: PG for safety's sake, in case I do anything unplanned by me. Haha. It has happened before.

Pairing: a bit of this, a bit of that, you know how Elizabeth can't decide sometimes?

Admiral James Norrington was weary. He had always feared coming back to Port Royal. On the one hand, he had all those bittersweet memories about Elizabeth, looking up the hill to see if she was maybe looking out the balcony in the governor's house, making up excuses to visit her father, whispering his love to her in secret, damning his days on duty that took him out to the sea and away from her and on the other hand it was what he feared most and yet hoped at the same time. That Elizabeth in the meantime would've returned to Port Royal and he would meet her there, with no men by her side, especially none of the pirate breed. If so, he'd try his chances again with her, who knows what she's been through, if she needs him. And that was why he feared it so, he knew he could not keep himself back from trying to win her back and it was more than almost certain that his heart was going to be thrown back at his face. As if drawn by an invisible force he walked towards where they last shared an intimate moment before that Sparrow showed up, the walls of the harbor. He looked up, came to a halt and rubbed his eyes in the sparkling sunshine.

Elizabeth in a yellow, golden embroidered dress. Not much different than when he saw her last time still claiming to be and behaving like a governor's daughter should, well, a long time ago.

If at all possible, her shock was more than his and she simply forgot to react, seemingly stuck to the spot, next to the wall. Tears crept into her eyes and by the time the radiant smile widened on her face he had gathered up the courage to walk right up to her.

"Oh James!" She breathed, holding his hands in hers and looking him over, "good to see the navvy knows who to honor after all."

They saw nothing but each other, the eyes as windows of their souls, clinging to one another like lost leaves in the wind stuck together by rain, Elizabeth's with all her doubts and sorries and that wish for freedom she never embraced completely and James' with his unshared love, questions and bitterness.

Elizabeth, taken by her guilt, bit her lip and turned away. Next thing, she gasped, fear evident in her eyes as she let go of James' hands and ran towards the high edge of the wall. "Come right back! Jump, into my arms, now!"

The instructions were given to a little girl, four, five, James judged. She was wearing a similar dress to that of Elizabeth's.

"This is the best spot to see the ships coming in!" The child riveted on the top and Elizabeth found no other way to bring her down than climbing up to the dangerous wall herself. She grabbed the child and gave her over to James before climbing back down again.

"But mom, I wasn't going to fall and I can swim too!" She kept opposing, her dark eyes flashing with life even through the childish grimace, her black curls wriggling in protest.

"Don't you ever do that again!" Elizabeth cried exasperated, then seeing the sadness behind the girl's gesture, she cuddled her up, "I know you're waiting for your father, but he'll not come to a place like Port Royal, sweetheart."

"Yes, he will!" The child remained unwavering, "because he said so! He will be here soon I know that!"

"That's enough, Jacqueline!" Elizabeth looked up at James apologetically.

"He takes after her father," James whispered. He could just as well leave. He had no chance. If Elizabeth was alone with the child yes, if she was with Turner, maybe, but not Jack. He held no cards against the pirate. It wasn't the lack of rules in Sparrow's life, it wasn't the unpredictability in his behavior, it wasn't just the roughish and tortured look of a paradox winner, it wasn't anything he could think up, but it was in those eyes of hers when he now lifted Jacqueline up and climbed up the wall herself with her, searching the horizon with the same look on her face as the child was before. It was in the expression when she couldn't see the Pearl after all. It was that showing James that in fact he had never had a chance.

The End.


End file.
